Schoolin'

Well, not technically, but they were apparently listening to our archeology lesson at the beginning of the year...  When we chose our curriculum, I'd read wonderful reviews about how the children would create impromptu imaginary play extensions from their subject matter.  So I've been waiting for it to happen with us...

Recently, they met a little friend somewhere and played some kind of game about pharaohs.  Someone would be the Sphinx and "guard" the pyramid, and that game lasted for quite a while.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of that game, nor did I understand the object or rules of the game.  But they had a fantastic time.

This week, I caught them all outside, digging with tiny spoons, small butter knives, and paint brushes.  They started marking off sections they'd already "dug."  We got our our "Archaeologists Dig for Clues" book and tried to find other household items for them to use on their dig.  They were after dinosaur bones...imagine that.  Ethan would draw dinosaur outlines for them to discover.  This went on for hours one afternoon with nary an argument.  It was great!

GA Aquarium

So we started our homeschool year planning to study Flying Creatures first semester and Swimming Creatures second semester, but our bird population has dropped, dropped, dropped.  Their absence was messing up all the planned experiments.

So we're switching midstream to Swimming Creatures.  We went on a field trip to the GA Aquarium, and it was awesome.  We may have to go again before we're done with this study.  It was very crowded, and I wonder if it's always so crowded.  I'd like to get in there and go a little slower next time.  I'd like to get the kids to really look and observe all the amazing creatures that are in there.  It's a spectacular sight!

We went through each exhibit except one, and we watched the dolphin show.  Amazing!  We'd just completed an impromptu study on dolphins getting ready to go see Dolphin Tale which was a very good movie, by the way. 

The only problem we had was when the beluga whales kept going to the bathroom, and Daniel started giving everyone the play by play.  He's not quiet either...Everyone, and I do mean everyone, heard the play by play, and the kids laughed and laughed.  But the adults kept giving me looks that said, "Don't you teach your kids any manners?"  Bodily functions are just hilarious to kids, but the whales were big...so everything...everything was big.  I have to admit that it was kinda funny.

We'd just finished reading Mr. Popper's Penguins, so seeing the penguins was very appropriate...even if they were African penguins rather than Arctic penguins.  They were very cute swimming and playing.  The only problem was the high school kids who were completely oblivious to everything going on around them.  They crowded the "crawl through penguin viewing area" that is meant for children.  I was getting irritated with them...

The kids enjoyed everything.  We had an amazing time!  The dolphin show made me want to become a trainer one day...

Curriculum Choices: 2011-2012

Ethan is in third grade, and Daniel is in first, technically.  I go by where they'd be if they were in public school.  Hannah tells everyone she's in kindergarten and that she does school and that she's doing "weally, weally, gweat!"  I tell her how modest and humble she is, too...  Grace does storytime and cooking and cleaning with Mommy.

So what are we doing this year?  I've had several people ask about what we do at home.  I keep portfolios with samples of their work in each subject as it progresses throughout the school year, as well as monthly attendence report copies, intent to homeschool form copies, field trip notes, pictures, certificates they've earned, lists of books they've read, etc.

We've chosen Sonlight for the most part this schoolyear.  So far, it has been a perfect fit except that the kids ask for me to continue reading the read-alouds, and so we get a little ahead of ourselves. Seriously. ;-)  I wish we'd started with Sonlight when Ethan was beginning.  I read somewhere that any homeschooling mom ought to give herself a three-year learning curve.  Three years to really see what method you enjoy as an educating mom. Three years to see what your children respond to and how they learn best. 

I wish I'd heard that advice a few years ago because maybe I would've relaxed more these past few years.  This is my fourth year homeschooling, my third official year that I've had to send in paperwork to the county.  But I feel like I've struck gold with Sonlight.  We read a lot, and the lessons are perfect and easily adaptable when we want to plug in a field trip or when we want to stop everything and do a unit study on dolphins or when we have a co-op class day.  It's been amazing!  Perfect for us.

We do all the Bible, history, and read alouds together.  All of them, for now.

With Ethan, third grade:
Sonlight, Core B Intro to World History Part 1 w/ level appropriate readers which he's going through more quickly than I expected. Yay!
Explode the Code 4,5,6
Wordly Wise B
Handwriting without Tears- Cursive
Sequential Spelling- we're going through this a little slower than suggested.
Teaching Textbooks 4 with Saxon drill sheets- Audio memory facts
Apologia- Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day
His Semester 1 project subject is dinosaurs.  He has to read a book about his subjects, do a book report, speech and presentation which must include a visual aid.
Drawing with children weekly lessons
Piano lessons
Karate class- advanced brown.  He'll test for black in the spring of 2012.

With Daniel, first grade:
Sonlight Core B Intro to World History Part 1 w/ level appropriate readers
Explode the Code 1,2,3
Wordly Wise A
Handwriting without Tears- Printing Power
Teaching Textbooks 3 with Saxon drill sheets-- Audio memory facts
Apologia Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day
His Semester 1 project is eagles.  He must read a book on his subject and complete a first grader's book report and do a presentation with a poster.
Drawing with children weekly lessons.
Piano lessons
Karate class- advanced red.  He'll test for his brown belt in December.

With Hannah...we'll call her K4:
Sonlight Core P3/4 (which is really just a lot of great stories, games, and recommended activities to encourage learning and better yet, a love for learning)
100 Easy Lessons for reading
Handwriting without tears- Get ready for School
Ready, Set, Go for the Code.
Singapore Earlybird kindergarten math
Drawing with children weekly lessons
She tries to do piano lessons with me.

With Grace...my littlest learner:
Sonlight Core P3/4...see comments above

She sits in on Hannah's reading lesson time and imitates everything Hannah does.  I'm hoping something will stick.  She likes coloring, stickers, lots of playtime, and lots of time with me.She likes to be in on any of the science experiments or art projects the boys are doing, too.

So there you have it.  That's what we're doing at home.  I'm very pleased with what we've chosen for this school year.  So far...so good.  We also participate in twice weekly karate class, in a weekly storytime for the girls, and in a monthly co-op class with the subject of fine arts this year.  The kids are preparing for a massive talent show in the spring.  They're doing a skit, some songs, and my boys want to put together a karate demo.  Hannah will probably want to do whatever the older girls are doing, and Grace...I don't know about her.  We shall see.  She'll probably crawl into someone's lap and hope they don't ask her to do anything!  I was very much like that...

Robin Hood

The boys are participating in their first play.  Robin Hood.  One of the kids in our homeschool co-op wrote it as a comedy, and he did a great job.  It's hilarious!  We had our first read through last Friday, and I couldn't stop laughing.

Ethan is playing a kid being babysat.  It's bedtime, and his babysitter is reading him a story...Robin Hood. Ethan gets more nervous and thankfully, will not have to run around stage much. He will, however, get to participate in the archery competition at the end.

Daniel isn't nervous, at all...yet.  He is playing a kid in the story and a merry man.  He's hilarious.  Such a little ham with great volume.  I knew his extremely loud voice would come in handy! Hannah was going to be allowed to say a line, but it ain't gonna happen.  This I know for sure. Daniel has volunteered to do her line.  Why am I not surprised?

It's going to be great.  I can't wait!